CBP Officer Sentenced for Sexual Assault of Women

CBP Officer Sentenced for Sexual Assault of Women

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On October 4, 2012, the Department of Justice released a press release that stated Paulo Morales of Miami was sentenced to 33 months in prison and one year of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Robin S. Rosenbaum sentenced Morales.

Morales, who is a former Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer, pleaded guilty in July of 2012 to three misdemeanor counts for depriving rights to several women on different occasions. During his guilty plea, Morales admitted to his charges of sexual assault that occurred on several dates in January of 2011. While he was working as a CBP officer at the Miami International Airport, Morales groped the breasts of at three different women while in custody of the CBP. The women never consented and Morales violated their rights.

Thomas E. Perez, the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, stated, “This officer abandoned his commitment to legitimate law enforcement and used his power to abuse women in his custody. The Justice Department is committed to holding officers who engage in such conduct accountable.”

Wifredo A. Ferrar, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, showed a similar tone of disgust for the officer’s actions: “My office and the Department of Justice are fully committed to protecting the civil rights of our citizens from all types of abuses. In this case, the harm to the victims and the general public cut deep because it came at the very hands of someone who was sworn to serve and protect the public, and instead breached that trust.”

The case was investigated by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Office of Professional Responsibility, and the CBP Internal Affairs. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William White and Trial Attorney Henry Leventis of the Civil Rights Division.